973.7L63 
EL63822r 


Lincoln  Centennial 
Association  (Springfield, 

111.) 


A  record  of  accomplishment 
1909-1925. 


LINCOLN  ROOM 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://archive.org/details/recordofaccompliOOIinc 


J[  Record  of  Accomplishment 
1909-1925 


"TO  THIS  PLACE  AND  TO  THE 

KINDNESS  OF  THESE  PEOPLE 

I  OWE  EVERYTHING." 

With  these  words  Abraham  Lincoln, 
standing  on  the  platform  of  the  train 
which  was  to  take  him  to  Washington 
and  the  presidency,  bade  farewell  to  his 
friends  in  Springfield.  And  with  these 
words  he  bequeathed  to  Springfield,  to 
Illinois,  something  more  than  a  senti- 
ment, something  more  than  a  motto  to  be 
carved  on  monuments  and  cornerstones — 
he  bequeathed  a  trust,  a  deep  and  lasting 
obligation. 

With  the  thought  of  Springfield's  pe- 
culiar obligation  to  the  memory  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  the  Lincoln  Centen- 
nial Association  was  formed  and  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  Illinois  in 
1909.  As  stated  then,  the  object  of  the 
Association  was  "to  properly  observe  the 
one  hundredth  anniversarv  of  the  birth  of 


A  Record  of  Accomplishment  3 

Abraham  Lincoln;  to  preserve  to  poster- 
ity the  memory  of  his  words  and  works, 
and  to  stimulate  the  patriotism  of  the 
youth  of  the  land  by  appropriate  annual 
exercises." 

For  years  the  principal  activity  of 
the  Association  was  the  observance  of 
Lincoln's  birthday.  Every  year  men  of 
distinction  came  to  pay  tribute  in  his 
home  city.  To  name  these  guests  would 
require  more  space  than  can  here  be 
given — suffice  to  say  that  men  of  supreme 
prominence  in  all  walks  of  life,  of  foreign 
nations  as  well  as  of  our  own  country, 
have  here  expressed  their  appreciation  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  Most  of  the  addresses 
of  these  guests  the  Association  has  pub- 
lished in  book  form  and  distributed,  not 
only  to  its  members,  but  also  to  various 
libraries  and  associations  throughout  the 
country.  Many  of  them  contain  contribu- 
tions of  permanence  and  value  in  the  way 
of  sound  thinking  and  clear  utterance. 


4  A  Record  of  Accomplishment 

Recent  years  have  seen  a  tremendous 
growth  of  interest  in  the  life  and  work  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.  As  a  direct  result  of 
this  increasing  appreciation  the  program 
of  the  Lincoln  Centennial  Association 
was  considerably  broadened.  The  annual 
meetings  on  Lincoln's  birthday  were  to 
be  addressed  by  men  competent  to  make 
distinct  contributions  to  Lincoln  litera- 
ture, and  their  addresses  were  to  be  pub- 
lished in  book  form.  An  exhibition  of 
Lincoln  material  was  to  be  a  part  of  the 
birthday  celebration.  It  was  planned  to 
offer  prizes  every  two  years  for  the  best 
monograph  on  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  to 
make  available  in  Illinois  colleges 
scholarships  in  return  for  the  best  work 
of  the  high  school  pupils  of  the  state. 
The  Association  further  hoped  to  em- 
ploy a  competent  person  whose  work 
would  be  the  compilation  of  all  possible 
information  relating  to  Lincoln's  life 
in  Springfield,  and  to  issue  an  authen- 
tic booklet  in  which  visitors  could  find 


A  Record  of  Accomplishment  5 

pertinent  facts  relating  to  the  life  of  Mr. 
Lincoln. 

In  addition,  the  Association  pledged 
its  support  to  numerous  other  projects.  It 
proposed  to  aid  the  State  of  Illinois  in 
building  up  a  definitive  collection  of 
Lincolniana.  It  offered  its  support  in  the 
production  in  New  Salem  at  stated  inter- 
vals of  a  Lincoln  play  or  pageant.  It  en- 
couraged the  construction  of  a  paved  road 
between  Springfield  and  New  Salem. 
And  finally,  it  looked  toward  the  erection 
of  suitable  markers  on  all  sites  in  Spring- 
field and  Sangamon  county  connected 
with  the  life  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

Although  formulated  only  two  years 
ago,  this  program  is  being  progressively 
realized.  In  1924  appeared  the  first  vol- 
ume of  The  Lincoln  Centennial  Associa- 
tion Papers.  This  contained  an  address, 
"Lincoln  as  a  World  Figure,"  by  Profes- 
sor Andrew  C.  McLaughlin  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago,  and  a  history  of  the 


6  A  Record  of  Accomplishment 

old  state  house,  "The  House  of  the  House 
Divided,"  by  Mr.  Henry  A.  Converse  of 
this  city.  The  second  volume,  to  appear  in 
1925,  will  contain  papers  by  Doctor  John 
H.  Finley,  editor  of  the  New  York  Times, 
and  Mr.  A.  L.  Bowen  of  Springfield.  For 
the  1926  volume  Professor  Michael 
Pupin  of  Columbia  University,  the 
author  of  "From  Immigrant  to  Inventor," 
and  Mr.  Paul  M.  Angle  are  preparing 
papers. 

These  addresses  are  first  delivered  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  Association  in 
Springfield  on  February  twelfth.  At  that 
meeting  a  collection  of  Lincoln  material 
is  on  exhibit.  This  collection  is  being  fre- 
quently augmented  by  donations  of  manu- 
scripts and  other  material  from  friends  of 
the  Association,  and  by  the  accumulation 
of  photostatic  copies  of  letters  and  docu- 
ments now  in  private  collections.  It  is 
hoped  eventually  to  build  up,  either  in 
the  originals  or  in  copies,  a  complete  col- 


A  Record  of  Accomplishment  7 

lection  of  all  papers  in  Lincoln's  hand- 
writing— a  collection  which  will  be  of 
immense  sentimental  and  historical  value. 

All  the  projects  to  which  the  Lincoln 
Centennial  Association  pledged  its  sup- 
port have  been  accomplished  in  whole  or 
in  part.  The  State  of  Illinois  has  appro- 
priated $50,000  for  the  purchase  of  the 
Oldroyd  collection  of  Lincolniana,  one  of 
the  most  complete  in  the  country.  In  se- 
curing the  appropriation  this  Association 
played  an  important  part.  The  State  of 
Illinois  has  recently  completed  the  con- 
struction of  a  paved  road  to  New  Salem. 
A  Lincoln  pageant,  given  some  time  ago 
by  the  Lincoln  League  of  Petersburg,  is; 
to  be  repeated  at  New  Salem  in  the  near 
future  by  the  same  association.  And 
practically  all  places  in  Springfield  and 
Sangamon  county  associated  with  Lin- 
coln's life  have  been  suitably  marked  by 
the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution. 


8  A  Record  of  Accomplishment 

In  Mr.  Paul  M.  Angle  the  Lincoln 
Centennial  Association  now  has  a  full- 
time  secretary.  Mr.  Angle  is  a  graduate 
of  Miami  University  and  has  done  ad- 
vanced work  at  the  University  of  Illinois, 
specializing  in  history  at  both  institutions. 
As  secretary  of  the  Association,  the  major 
part  of  his  time  is  being  devoted  to  re- 
search in  the  life  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 
He  is  also  working  on  a  history  of  the  city 
of  Springfield,  which,  when  completed, 
will  be  of  more  than  local  interest,  reveal- 
ing as  it  will  the  social  and  cultural 
background  into  which  Lincoln,  a  rela- 
tively young  man,  came,  and  in  which  his 
capacities  developed  to  their  final  frui- 
tion. From  time  to  time  Mr.  Angle  will 
take  up  other  historical  projects,  and  will 
eventually  exhaust  the  sources  of  Lincoln 
knowledge  in  the  city  and  neighborhood. 

During  the  past  year  there  has  been  a 
remarkable  influx  of  group  pilgrimages 
to    the    places    of    Lincoln    interest    in 


A  Record  of  Accomplishment  9 

Springfield.  At  first  these  pilgrimages 
were  sponsored  by  local  civic  organiza- 
tions, but  as  their  number  increased  it  was 
felt  that  it  would  be  of  greater  benefit  to 
all  concerned  if  one  central  organization 
exercised  general  supervisory  charge. 
Consequently,  since  May  1,  1925,  the  Lin- 
coln Centennial  Association,  sometimes  in 
sole  charge  and  sometimes  in  cooperation 
with  other  organizations,  has  been  taking 
care  of  the  arrangements  for  group  visits. 
During  the  spring  and  summer  months  of 
1925,  approximately  2,000  persons  were 
cared  for.  Guide  service  and  descriptive 
pamphlets  are  furnished  by  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce,  and  the  Association  makes 
arrangements  for  meals,  street  car  service, 
speakers,  and  whatever  else  may  contrib- 
ute to  successful  visits. 

In  addition,  the  Lincoln  Centennial 
Association  stands  ready  at  all  times  to 
render  any  possible  aid  to  individual 
visitors.    With  this  purpose  the  Associa- 


10  A  Record  of  Accomplishment 

tion  has  published — at  cost — a  descriptive 
booklet,  "Lincoln  in  Springfield/'  which 
it  is  hoped  will  be  found  useful  by  visitors 
seeking  to  reconstruct  for  themselves  the 
life  in  Springfield  of  Illinois'  greatest 
citizen. 

The  Lincoln  Centennial  Association  invites  the 
membership  of  any  person  interested  in  its  activities 
as  herein  described. 


September,   1925. 


PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE 

LINCOLN  CENTENNIAL 

ASSOCIATION. 

LINCOLN  CENTENNIAL 
ASSOCIATION  ADDRESSES. 

1909-1910:  Addresses  by  Ambassador 
BRYCE,  Ambassador  JUSSE- 
rand,  Hon.  Jonathan  P. 
Dolliver,  Hon.  William 
Jennings  Bryan,  Hon. 
Charles  S.  Deneen,  and 
Dr.  Booker  T.  Washing- 
ton. 

1911 :  Addresses  of  President  Wil- 

liam Howard  Taft,  and 
Hon.  Martin  W.  Little- 
ton. 

1912:  Addresses  of  Senator  HENRY 

Cabot  Lodge,  Hon.  Frank 
B.  Willis  and  Mr.  John 
Armstrong. 


12  A  Record  of  Accomplishment 

1913:  Addresses     of     Ambassador 

VON  Bernstorff  and  Hon. 
Joseph  W.  Bailey. 

1914:  Addresses    of    Hon.    Joseph 

T.  Robinson,  Dr.  Stephen 
S.  Wise  and  Hon.  Percival 
G.  Rennick. 

1914:  Addresses   of   Governor   ED- 

WARD F.  Dunne,  Arch- 
bishop Glennon,  Mr.  Gut- 
zon  Borglum,  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Fallows  and  Bishop 
William  Fraser  McDow- 
ell. 

1915:  Addresses    of    Hon.    James 

Hamilton  Lewis,  Hon. 
Lawrence  Y.  Sherman 
and  Bishop  William  A. 
Quayle. 

1916:  Addresses  of  Dr.  John  Grier 

Hibben  and  Hon.  Thomas 
Sterling. 


A  Record  of  Accomplishment  13 

1918:  Addresses  of  Hon.  William 

Renwick  Ridell,  Hon. 
Thomas  Power  O'Connor, 
Hon.  Addison  G.  Proctor 
and  Hon.  Hugh  S.  Magill, 

Jr. 


LINCOLN  CENTENNIAL 
ASSOCIATION  PAPERS. 

Henry  A.  Converse,  The  House  of 

the  House  Divided,  and  ANDREW  C.  MC- 
LAUGHLIN, Lincoln  as  a  World  Figure. 
Springfield,  Illinois.     1924. 

A.  L.  BOWEN,  A.  Lincoln:  His  House, 
and  JOHN  H.  FlNLEY,  The  Education  of 
Abraham  Lincoln.     (To  appear  in  192.?.) 


LINCOLN  CENTENNIAL 
ASSOCIATION  BULLETINS. 

Bulletin  Number  One,  October,  1923. 
Address  of  David  Lloyd-George. 

Bulletin    Number   Two,    June,    1925. 
Letter  of  Brand  Whitlock. 

Bulletin   Number   Three,    September, 
1925.    A  Lincoln  Trip  to  old  Kentucky. 


SOUVENIR  BOOKS. 

The  following  well  known  works  have 
been  printed  for  the  Lincoln  Centennial 
Association  in  specially  bound  limited 
editions: 

Wayne  Whipple,  The  Story  Life  of 
Lincoln,  Philadelphia,  1908. 

EDWIN  ERLE  SPARKS,  Ed.,  The  Lin- 
coln-Douglas Debates  of  1858  (Collec- 
tions   of    the    Illinois    State    Historical 


A  Record  of  Accomplishment  15 

Library,    Volume    Three),    Springfield, 
Illinois,  1908. 

J.  T.  HOBSON,  The  Lincoln  Year 
Book,  Dayton,  1912. 

Alonzo  ROTHSCHILD,  Lincoln,  Master 
of  Men,  Cambridge,  1912. 

Frederick  Trevor  Hill,  Lincoln  the 
Lawyer,  New  York,  1913. 

JAMES  BRYCE,  Ed.,  Speeches  and  Let- 
ters of  Abraham  Lincoln,  London  and 
New  York,  1907. 

Francis  Fisher  Browne,  The  Every- 
day Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  Chicago, 
1913. 


OFFICERS. 
LOGAN  HAY  ------     President 

Mary  Humphrey  -    -    Vice-President 

J.  H.  HOLBROOK      -     -     -     -      Treasurer 

George  W.  Bunn,  Jr.    -    -    -    - 

-     -     -     -     -     Honorary  Secretary 

PAUL  M.  ANGLE    -    Executive  Secretary 

Office  of  the  Secretary:    Sangamo  Club. 

Office  Hours:    8:30-9:30  A.  M.;   1:30- 

2:30  P.  M. 

DIRECTORS. 
Philip  Barton  Warren 
Frank  O.  Lowden 
George  Pasfield 
Logan  Hay 
Jacob  Bunn 
Pascal  E.  Hatch 
Arthur  D.  Mackie 
J.  Paul  Clayton 
Henry  M.  Merriam 
Alice  E.  Bunn 

Edward  D.  Keys 


y 


u 

o 

< 


z 
u 


"W(y 


^ 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 


3  0112  002245469 


